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03/06/2015 08:52

Cebit: Saarbrücken Graduate School of Computer Science offers flexible doctoral studies programme

Melanie Löw Pressestelle der Universität des Saarlandes
Universität des Saarlandes

    Protecting the internet against hacker attacks, developing new technologies for the Hollywood dream factory, or working on more efficient cancer therapies – all areas that young researchers in Saarbrücken are actively involved in. They receive support from the Saarbrücken Graduate School of Computer Science, which provides them with a structured academic programme for the entire duration of their doctoral studies. Particularly talented students also have the opportunity to enter the doctoral studies programme immediately after completing their Bachelor’s degree.

    The Saarbrücken Graduate School of Computer Science will be showcasing its academic programme from March 16th to March 20th at the Cebit computer expo in Hanover (Stand E13, Hall 9).

    For nearly three years, Simon Olberding has been carrying out research in the ‘Embodied Interaction’ group under the supervision of Jürgen Steimle at the Cluster of Excellence at Saarland University. He is one of the 370 PhD candidates currently studying at the Saarbrücken Graduate School of Computer Science. A particularly attractive feature of the Graduate School is that high-achieving students can join the doctoral studies programme after completing their Bachelor’s degree. Each year sees a large number of graduates from around the world apply for one of the approximately 30 fully funded places available.

    The Graduate School programme is split into two phases. During the initial preparatory phase, students attend lecture courses on a wide range of topics in computer science and informatics. At the same time, they gain valuable insight into areas of current research activity. Students are supported by an academic mentor. During the preparatory phase, each student receives a monthly stipend of at least € 800 from the Graduate School, which enables them to concentrate fully on their graduate studies. ‘As students joining the programme have different areas and levels of knowledge, the preparatory phase can be tailored to match a student’s specific needs and interests,’ says Professor Andreas Zeller, who is responsible for selecting successful applicants to the programme. ‘The PhD students are given the freedom to become acquainted with a variety of different research fields.’ Students can contribute to research work being carried out at Saarland University or at one of the highly respected research institutes – such as the Max Planck Institute for Informatics – that are located on the Saarbrücken campus. Students can choose from a total of 75 research groups ranging from bioinformatics and cyber security to software engineering.

    And doctoral students continue to receive support from the Graduate School after transitioning from the preparatory to the doctoral research phase (‘dissertation phase’). A special feature of doctoral studies in Saarbrücken is that in addition to a student having a direct research advisor, responsibility for supervising candidates is shared by all members of the computer science and informatics faculty. Around 75 professors and junior faculty are available to provide support and guidance to the PhD students in all fields of informatics. Doctoral candidates also have plenty of opportunity to network and share ideas with one another.

    ‘The programme we offer definitely competes with those at elite universities such as Stanford and Cambridge,’ says Zeller. Graduates from the Saarbrücken Graduate School’s doctoral programme have a wide range of career opportunities available to them. ‘Some of our former doctoral students decide to stay in research, at ETH Zurich for example, while others are working for technology companies, such as Google. Others who decide to build on their research ideas and start their own company receive advice and assistance from the start-up guidance and strategy centre “Entrepreneurial Campus Saar”,’ explains Professor Zeller.

    In addition to the Department of Computer Science at Saarland University, the two Max Planck Institutes for Informatics and for Software Systems, the German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence and the Intel Visual Computing Institute are also involved with the Saarbrücken Graduate School of Computer Science. Since 2007, the Graduate School has received significant initial and extension funding through the Excellence Initiative run by the German federal and state governments.

    Background
    Computer science and informatics at Saarland University
    The Saarbrücken campus is home to a number of highly respected research institutes in the field of informatics and computer science. In addition to those already mentioned, these include the Center for Bioinformatics (CBI), the Center for IT-Security, Privacy and Accountability (CISPA) and the Cluster of Excellence ‘Multimodal Computing and Interaction’.

    For further information, please contact:
    gradschool.cs.uni-saarland.de

    Questions can be addressed to:
    Dr. Michelle Carnell
    Coordinator
    Saarbrücken Graduate School of Computer Science
    Tel.: +49(0)681 302-5523
    E-mail: carnell(at)cs.uni-saarland.de

    Prof. Dr. Andreas Zeller
    Tel.: +49(0)681 302-70971
    E-mail: zeller(at)cs.uni-sb.de


    Images

    Simon Olberding is currently studying at the Saarbrücken Graduate School of Computer Science.
    Simon Olberding is currently studying at the Saarbrücken Graduate School of Computer Science.
    Credit: Oliver Dietze
    None


    Criteria of this press release:
    Journalists
    Information technology
    transregional, national
    Advanced scientific education, Studies and teaching
    English


     

    Simon Olberding is currently studying at the Saarbrücken Graduate School of Computer Science.


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